Katie Commits to Nothing in 2019, Part 11

(Photo from https://g2goutside.wordpress.com/tag/reading-outside/)

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Hello Old Friends and Welcome New Ones!

I'm Katie, and I've been with the 75ers since 2011. I live just outside New York City with my husband, "The" Wayne, and our cat, Leonard. I work from home for a global engineering association, which allows me to scratch my travel itch a few times a year. In addition to reading and traveling, I enjoy taking advantage of all that my current location has to offer, from bars and restaurants to theater and museums to seasides and mountainsides. I lived 12 years in "exile" in Texas and am glad to be back in the northeast :)

My only "goal" for this reading year is to not have any goals. I am hoping to read more of the 3500 books I currently own rather than shiny new ones, but I'll just be happy with a year of excellent reads, regardless of where they come from.

(Kindle) (Audio) (Kindle)

2019 BOOKS COMPLETED
Off my shelf (pre-2019): 13
Off my Kindle (pre-2019): 7

52. A Hero's Guide to Deadly Dragons by Cressida Cowell (audio) (3.5 stars)
51. Above the Waterfall by Ron Rash (audio) (3 stars)
50. Just One of the Guys by Kristan Higgins (3 stars)
49. Alice Adams by Booth Tarkington (audio) (3 stars)
48. The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh (3 stars)
47. I Can't Complain by Elinor Lipman (audio) (3.5 stars)
46. How To Find Love in a Bookshop by Veronica Henry (audio) (4 stars)

45. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Burrows (4.5 stars)
44. Water Like a Stone by Deborah Crombie (4 stars)
43. Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams (audio) (3.5 stars)
42. The Overdue Life of Amy Byler by Kelly Harms (3.5 stars)
41. Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson (audio) (3.5 stars)
40. Imagined London by Anna Quindlen (3 stars)
39. These Truths by Jill Lepore (4.5 stars)
38. The Paragon Hotel by Lyndsay Faye (4 stars)
37. Nine Women, One Dress by Jane Rosen (audio) (3 stars)
36. Black Out by Lisa Unger (2 stars)
35. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen (audio) (4 stars)
34. Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward (4.5 stars)
33. The Wet Nurse's Tale by Erica Eisdorfer (3.5 stars)
32. Unbelievable by Katy Tur (audio) (3 stars)
31. Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler (audio) (3.5 stars)

DID NOT FINISH (Year to date)
1. Eucalyptus by Murray Bail
2. Go, Went, Gone by Jenny Erpenbeck
3. The Secret History by Donna Tartt
4. Census by Jesse Ball
5. Nickel Mountain by John Gardner

2019 BOOKS COMPLETED

30. Drop Shot by Harlan Coben (3 stars)
29. All the Ways to Ruin a Rogue by Sophie Jordan (audio)
28. A Good Debutante's Guide to Ruin by Sophie Jordan (audio) (4 stars)
27. American Spy by Lauren Wilkinson (2.5 stars)
26. The Golden Tresses of the Dead by Alan Bradley (audio) (3 stars)
25. Inheritance by Dani Shapiro (4.5 stars)
24. Kings of the Earth by Jon Clinch (4.5 stars)
23. The Railway Children by Edith Nesbit (audio) (4 stars)
22. My Name is Venus Black by Heather Lloyd (4 stars)
21. My Oxford Year by Julia Whelan (audio) (3 stars)
20. Anything for You by Kristan Higgins (3.5 stars)
19. Ghost Wall by Sarah Moss (4 stars)
18. Who Thought This Was a Good Idea? by Alyssa Mastromonaco (audio) (4 stars)
17. Dream When You're Feeling Blue by Elizabeth Berg (3 stars)
16. Lucky Suit by Lauren Blakely (audio) (3.5 stars)

15. Enlightening Delilah by M.C. Beaton (audio) (3 stars)
14. The Captives by Debra Jo Immergut (4 stars)
13. The ABC Murders by Agatha Christie (4 stars)
12. Murder in an English Village by Jessica Ellicott (audio) (2.5 stars)
11. The Garden Party by Grace Dane Mazur (4 stars)
10. In the Sea There Are Crocodiles by Fabio Geda (audio) (3 stars)
9. The Child Finder by Rene Denfeld (4 stars)
8. The Governess Game by Tessa Dare (4 stars)
7. Blood on the Forge by William Attaway (4.5 stars)
6. Boo by Neil Smith (audio) (3 stars)
5. The Incendiaries by R.O. Kwan (3.5 stars)
4. Good Neighbors by Ryan David Jahn (4 stars)
3. A Handful of Dust by Evelyn Waugh (audio) (3.5 stars)
2. By the Book by Julia Sonneborn (3 stars)
1. Going Back by Penelope Lively (3.5 stars)

My Ratings (revised, once again, as I continue the fruitless search for the perfect scale...)

2 stars = below average
3 stars = average
4 stars = above average
5 stars = perfect *for me*

(Anything below 2 stars is unlikely to be finished)

A Book You Should Read
(A new, regular feature on my threads...)



Misfortune by Wesley Stace

From Amazon:

One of the most auspicious debuts of recent years, Wesley Stace's Misfortune follows the rise, fall, and triumphant return of Rose Old, a foundling rescued from a London garbage heap in 1820 by the richest man in Britain. Lord Geoffroy Loveall, whose character has been shaped by perpetual mourning for a sister who died in childhood, seizes on the infant as a replacement for his beloved sister. With the help of trusted servants, he arranges for the child to be lovingly brought up at his ancestral mansion, Loveall Hall--to all appearances, his biological daughter and unhoped-for heir. No matter that the baby is not a girl.

.

And with that, this thread is now open!

Popping in to say "Happy New Thread"

What do we see, sitting in a tree, K A T I E.
Happy new thread.

Happy new thread, Katie! I am way behind on the threads but saw that you snuck a new one in here.

>8 magicians_nephew: - Thanks, Jim!

>9 Helenliz: - LOL - thanks, Helen!

>10 Familyhistorian: - I did it just for you, Meg, so you wouldn't feel overwhelmed ;-)

Happy new thread, Katie! Love the topper. We're finally getting leaves around here but long afternoons outside kind of weather is a ways off yet.

Happy new thread, Katie!

I enjoy taking advantage of all that my current location has to offer, from bars and restaurants to theater and museums to seasides and mountainsides.

I'm glad to see that you have your priorities in the correct order.

Happy new thread, Katie!

Lovely topper, I have did so in my (much) younger days...

Happy new thread, Katie. I love the topper!
>7 katiekrug: I agree!

>5 katiekrug: I have never heard of this one. Onto the list it goes. I LOVE this feature.

>15 BLBera: Yeah, SHE loves this feature but *I* hate the darn thing with a vibrating Day-Glo orange passion. *trudges off to Ammy*

Happy New Thread, Katie. That topper is lovely. Ah, Spring. Finally.

Happy New Thread, Katie!

>7 katiekrug: LOVE IT!!

>6 katiekrug: Eloquent. What more can I say?

Happy new thread, Katie. Gorgeous topper.

I don't know whether it is my internet or blips on LT but I cannot see your topper or the other pictures in your new thread, Katie.

Wishing you a happy new 11th thread - way to go!

>12 MickyFine: - Hi Micky! We had a lovely spring day today, and it made me long for our new house, which has a giant deck and several mature trees....

>13 kidzdoc: - Yeah, well, you know me... Though I will say, I have been drinking less wine lately - never at home, and we are going out less often...

>14 FAMeulstee: - Hi Anita - We had a big weeping willow tree in our back yard when I was a kid, and I used to love to read up in the branches.

>15 BLBera: - Misfortune is a fun one, Beth.

>16 richardderus: - You're welcome, dear. Smooch.

>17 jnwelch: - Thanks, Joe!

>18 msf59: - Thanks, Mark!

>19 weird_O: - Yeah, yeah. I created the new thread while LT was being wonky right before it went down for a little bit...

>20 jessibud2: - Thanks, Shelley!

>21 PaulCranswick: - Hi Paul. I don't know what is going on with images lately. Sometimes if I can't see an image, it will appear if I logout and back in. Or look at it on a different device. *shrug*

>1 katiekrug: Up a tree with a book....what could be better?

Happy new thread!! I'll try to keep up on this one. : )

Re: Nadiya from last thread...THAT. PEACOCK.

OMFG

She made that showstopper of a peacock out of rice krispie treats and melted white chocolate *shudder* and it looked so gorgeous! And then her wedding cake was just Beyond!

I haven't watched the home cookin' show but she's just perfect in front of a camera. It'll have to take me through the summer....

Happy new thread Katie.

Happy new thread, Katie! Naturally the first thing I did was look up the book in >5 katiekrug: to see if it was available at my library :-)

>23 laytonwoman3rd: - On the deck in the hammock I plan to put up? *grin*

>24 Berly: - Hi Kim. No worries! RL should come first.

>25 richardderus: - The peacock was amazing! The Wayne had quite the crush on her, but I still liked her :)

>26 fairywings: - Thanks, Adrienne!

>27 susanj67: - And was it, Susan? When I went over to Amazon to copy their blurb about it, it looked like it was available on Kindle, which I thought was odd.

Happy new one

TGIF!



It's another beautiful day here, and it's going to be hard to resist the urge to go enjoy the sunshine and mild temps. I have a feeling I'll be signing off of work a bit early today... Or maybe treat myself to lunch out on a patio somewhere...

I finished the short but delightful audio of Elinor Lipman's I Can't Complain. I think I'll read one of her novels once I'm finished with The Hungry Tide. I've now started the audio of Alice Adams by Booth Tarkington, an author I have never read.

>29 figsfromthistle: - Thanks, figs!

>28 katiekrug: It's available in the wider consortium, so I've added it to one of my many new lists :-) We also have it in Kindle format here, for £4.99.

Well, you're moving right along. You asked me to report back on the discussion between George Packer and Ambassador Samantha Power. It was a very relaxed and interesting view of Holbrooke, although Madame Ambassador asked LONG questions and made LONG comments about her mentoring by Holbrooke, and I was really more there to listen to Packer. Jim bought the book and got it signed. The more I listened, the more interesting the book and the man sounded, so I'll probably stick my nose into it eventually.

On the other hand, I'm finishing up These Truths and listening to White Trash: The 400-Year Untold History of Class In America and they both make me so discouraged about this country that I might want to wait a bit to hear about Holbrooke, you know?

>32 susanj67: - Interesting about the Kindle version. I double-checked and it doesn't appear to be available here.

>33 ffortsa: - Thanks for that, Judy! I *hate* when the interviewers go on too long and make themselves a central part of the event. I'm glad it piqued your interest though. I have White Trash saved on audio, and The Wayne (randomly) bought a copy on his last trip to San Francisco, but it hasn't called out to me yet...

Enjoy your sunny day! A half day of work sound pretty good :)

Happy new thread, Katie.

>35 ChelleBearss: - I'm still in The Bunker, Chelle. I've been goofing off too much :(

>36 RebaRelishesReading: - Thanks, Reba!

>34 katiekrug: I'm listening to White Trash when I walk, and the author is sometimes aggravatingly repetitive (yeah, you told me that three minutes ago type repetitive). But the history is truly depressing. In every era, in every area, people define themselves by who they can degrade, by origin, by color, by economic standing or lack thereof. These Truths, all over again. And I don't see any way to fight it; it's burned into the human DNA. Countries that seem, from the outside, to be less stratified show their underlying biases when confronted with immigration; at this point I wouldn't know where to escape to, and little way to make a difference. Identity politics is making things worse here, not better. Frustrating, demoralizing.

I'd better read another mystery soon. At least there, I get a resolution. Most of the time.

>30 katiekrug: Oh! Alice Adams! A wonderful, delicious morality tale. I was as happy with the ancient Katharine Hepburn vehicle film that shared the title, and a lot of the story, with the novel, but the book's Pulitzer is one of the times I can't imagine any other result happening. It's just head and shoulders above the field.

Oh dear, I've gone and cursed it. Now you'll loathe the book, hate-watch the film, and shout at me for ruining them both for you. Is it the 13th again?

>38 ffortsa: - Judy, I definitely think you are smart to intersperse your reading of White Trash with some more enjoyable/escapist fare.

>39 richardderus: - I'm about 10 minutes into the audio so will reserve judgment ;-)

I Can't Complain: (All Too) Personal Essays by Elinor Lipman

Lipman is an author I collect - I have several of her novels on my shelves/Kindle and a few more on my library wish lists. And I have read precisely one of her works. But I quite enjoyed it, and I fully expect to enjoy her other novels, too. I've just never quite gotten around to really diving in. But this collection of essays (many of which are quite short and were published previously in magazines and newspapers) makes me want to. I love her dry sense of humor, her sharp observations, and her occasional snark. One of my favorite pieces had to do with the importance of naming characters. Another included a laugh-out-loud funny note written by a friend of hers to a person she (the friend) didn't much care for. There were interesting insights into an author's attitude toward public readings, meeting fans, having a book turned into a film, and other similar situations. The audio is read by Lipman and was a pleasant way to spend a few hours.

3.5 stars

>11 katiekrug: It was much appreciated, Katie. I'm able to catch up a tad now that I am in chilly London. It should be warmer by the time you get here.

Sorry you got stuck working instead of enjoying the sun. It’s chilly and rainy here right now and I’m wondering if it was actually wise to turn our heat off.

>41 katiekrug: Crazy cover image!

Sunstrck Saturday wishes, m'dear.

Happy new thread!

>42 Familyhistorian: - I hope you have a good time in London, Meg, despite the weather!

>43 ChelleBearss: - Today was another beautiful day, Chelle, so I got to enjoy that at least. Sorry it's rainy and chilly there :(

>44 richardderus: - Gracias, senor. It certainly was gorgeous.

>45 drneutron: - Thanks, Jim!

Beautiful day again today. I went shopping for some stuff for my trip to St. Lucia in July. Yes, it's a little early, but I have a lot going on between now and then with very few totally free weekends. I picked up a few linen tops, some great wide-legged and side-slitted pants, and a cute cover-up for the beach/pool. Had lunch out, then came home and took a lovely nap.

Last night, we saw an advanced screening of 'Booksmart' which was a lot of fun, but not recommended for anyone who is easily offended by bad language, sex, etc.

>5 katiekrug: That looks like a fun read!

I read The Hungry Tide in 2015 and I only gave it 3 stars. I didn't write a review but now as I read the other reviews, I'm surprised that I rated it as low as that (especially given my predilection to inflate my ratings). I remember it well. I also see that there is a link to a New Yorker article in one of the reviews that is about Bengal Tigers and the Sundarbans.

Anyway, I'm glad you're enjoying some lovely spring weather! I know you are traveling to London in June. I will look forward to photos of the Persephone Bookshop. :-)

I saw the trailer for 'Booksmart' and definitely would like to see it. I'm definitely not offended by bad language or sex. ;-)

I also saw the Booksmart trailer and LOVED it. Looks absolutely amazing.

>48 EBT1002: - Hi Ellen! I finished up The Hungry Tide last night, and think I've settled on 3.5 stars. I have to think about what I want to say about it. I have mixed feelings...

We are very much looking forward to our trip, which I leave for in a month (The Wayne follows a couple of days later)! I will try to get to Persephone, but my real love is the South Bank Book Market and all the used bookshops...

'Booksmart' was a lot of fun, and it was great to see a realistic portrayal of female friendship, neither idealized nor demonized, as well as young women very confident in who they are.

>49 scaifea: - It's a fun one, Amber!

I finished The Hungry Tide last night, and am looking forward to picking up something new later today. It took me 9 days to get through the 330 pages of THT - it was an odd reading experience but I want to think more about it before making any final comments.

We didn't do much yesterday, but I did make a new recipe for dinner - tomato basil soup with spinach and tortellini. As usual, the recipe as written was way too bland for us, so The Wayne and I had fun trying to figure out how to give it more flavor (answer: oregano, some garlic, and red pepper flakes). We had crusty warm Portuguese rolls to go with the soup, and it was delicious. The only downside was that it was warm yesterday and our kitchen is a heat box, so it was kind of miserable being in there. I can't wait for our new house and the larger kitchen open to the family room!

>51 katiekrug: Moby-Dick in the Sundarbans. Irawaddy dolphin I U

>52 richardderus: - Good description!

Tedious read, that'un.

>54 richardderus: - It was really uneven for me. I flew threw parts of it and got really bogged down with other bits.

>55 katiekrug: I wish I'd flown through any of it! *jealous*

The Hungry Tide by Amitav Ghosh

“Kanai, the dreamers have everyone to speak for them,” she said. “But those who’re patient, those who try to be strong, who try to build things – no one ever sees any poetry in that, do they?”

This is one of those books I feel like I should have liked more than I did. It feels Important in some way, and I feel Dumb for just finding it kind of boring. The setting was fascinating – the Sundarban region of eastern India, on the border with Bangladesh – but the characters were not fully realized enough to hold my interest. And Ghosh tried too hard to include All The Information, leading to paragraphs-long explanation disguised as dialogue that was incredibly awkward and unbelievable. To be fair, there were parts of the novel I raced through, but overall, it felt too much like a slog to be a truy enjoyable reading experience.

3 stars

>46 katiekrug: It is actually sunny now, Katie, and it was a mostly dry day when Susan and I went walking all over London on Sunday. I hope the weather lasts for the rest of my stay but I think that might be pushing it as I am in England for the rest of May.

Hi Katie - saw an announcement of this event on the Women's Prize site and thought of you - interesting combo with Madeline Miller https://www.strandbooks.com/event/kate-mosse-burning-chambers

>58 Familyhistorian: - Sounds lovely, Meg. Of course, Susan brings the sunshine wherever she goes (hi Susan!) :)

>59 charl08: - Thanks for thinking of me, but I'll be on your side of the pond on June 26th! I did note a banner at the top for an event with Neil Gaiman and Nick Offerman that is tempting because I love both of them...

Hmm. I own a copy of The Hungry Tide, but I haven't been eager to read it, so I'll probably get rid of it. Thanks for taking one for the team, Katie.

I live to serve, Darryl!

Another beautiful morning here. I was wide awake at 6:00am, stewing over house purchase details, so I decided to get up and go for a walk. It was distracting while it lasted, but now I'm back to feeling all angsty. *sigh*

My books are fine - I'm listening to Alice Adams which is good, but I hate that the reader is giving everyone Southern accents when everything I've read says it takes place in the Midwest (and also, her Southern accent is not very good...).

And I'm reading Nickel Mountain by John Gardner on my Kindle. I have a hardcover (first?) edition, but I prefer my Kindle to hardcovers these days.

Tonight I have yoga which should be interesting, given (a) my shoulder and (b) I seem to have done something to the upper part of my left leg which has me hobbling a bit. Maybe the yoga will help, though I think this started after last week's session, so....

I'm curious to know what your opinion of Nickel Mountain ends up being. It was quite a splashy book back when Winter had the bookstore. I can't remember why off the top of my head.

>64 richardderus: - I'm about a quarter of the way into it. I like the writing, but so far it's pretty depressing. That doesn't usually bother me, but I think I'm feeling a bit "off" myself so it's affecting me more. I can't recall why I brought this one home from a used bookstore - maybe the setting in the Catskills because it's (sort of) close to where I grew up?

Hi Katie! Happy belated new thread.

From your previous thread and watermelon salad – I have a wonderful honeydew/red pepper/walnut/celery with honey/lime dressing from my MiL. I've posted it on my thread in case you want to look at it.

>34 katiekrug: I’ve got White Trash on my shelves too, and it hasn’t called to me either, having also just finished These Truths.

>66 karenmarie: - Thanks for the heads-up, Karen, about the recipe. I moseyed on over to check it out.

Yeah, I don't see myself picking up White Trash anytime soon.

I didn't go to yoga last night - my friend who I often go with decided she needed a drink and a vent (she has a lot of drama in her life). So we went and got wine and small plates and chatted for a couple of hours. For those interested, I had a nice sauvignon blanc and the grilled asparagus plate which was served with tahini yogurt, thin-shaved prosciutto, and a soft boiled egg. Delicious!

It's raining this morning and I'm in a foul mood for reasons I can't really identify. I'm sure it will pass soon. It didn't help that The Wayne dawdled this morning and missed his train so I had to drive ever farther out of the way to get him to one, and then I came home and had to pick up all the random crap he left around the house even though I asked him to straighten up because the cleaning ladies come today. I love him but his complete obliviousness to clutter drives me crazy.

So. I'm just going to hunker down in my office and get some work done and try not to stress eat. Happy Thursday!

>68 katiekrug: I think there may be a strong link between the behavior you mention and the y chromosome (sorry guys). Hope the rest of the day goes well and that your mood lifts. (((Katie)))

>60 katiekrug: Heh :-) I don't think I've *ever* been associated with sunshine!

>68 katiekrug: Sorry your day is off to a bad start, Katie. But, writing at 3pm, I can say that nothing too terrible happens for the rest of it. Well, the British government may fall, but even if it does we will all just look west and remember that it could be worse :-) I might not be helping...

>69 RebaRelishesReading: - You may be right, Reba. Usually, I just go with it and don't care all that much, but today it just rankled.

>70 susanj67: - I'll start calling you Sunny Susan then, shall I? Meeting up with you always makes a good day in London even better, so I don't think it's that far off.

And no, you're not helping *grin*

I think I need to pick up a new book - something utterly entertaining and diverting. I am liking Nickel Mountain but it's not exactly a joy to read and get lost in...

Romance and/or cozy mystery time!

>73 MickyFine: - I just spent a few minutes figuring out what might hit the spot :) Think I'm going with Just One of the Guys by Kristan Higgins, so romance FTW!

>74 katiekrug: Sweet!

The rain left off here. I'm under clear skies but the humidity is killing me. And thanks to Hani Cranswick, I'm drooling after onde onde that I can't have until Rob's pal makes them again! Man are they scrummy.

>68 katiekrug: Ah yes to the clutter problem. I don't think it's genetic - I've known guys who have schooled me on the principle, but the current situation is much like yours.

mmm, the bloke/clutter combination exists in this house as well. In his case it's hereditary; both his parents were hoarders. I do my best to limit the clutter to his study (play room) and his side of the bed.
>70 susanj67: *snort* I love the idea that we should be looking on the bright side. It could be worse, although I'm sometimes not sure how. I've voted in (probably) the most meaningless election in the world, but I voted.

>75 MickyFine: - :)

>76 richardderus: - I had no idea it was going to rain this morning. I was quite annoyed, even though it affected nothing in my life...

>77 ffortsa: - I won't tell Jim what you said ;-)

>78 Helenliz: - I am hopeful I can institute some "systems" in the new house to limit his trail of clutter. It will help that we will no longer enter directly into a tiny kitchen with limited counter space...

>79 katiekrug: Feel free to share the clutter systems. I fear I am one of those who can be cited to prove the gender split on clutter doesn't work.

>80 charl08: - I will, if anything works. I'm starting with the simple premise that everything in the house must have an appropriate place. It used to just be "a place" but apparently the kitchen counter is the place for everything... Heh.

Watching GBBO Masterclass, season 2...the whole-orange cake is To Die From! I want to figure out how to do this in the IP. And Paul's green-olive breadsticks...*Homerdrool*

>82 richardderus: - I am due a re-watch, I think :)

>83 katiekrug: It's a soothing thing to rewatch. I tried one of Netflix's chef competition shows and was revolted by the stupid overblown music and the risible lighting effects. I am just not the audience for that kind of overheated fakery. I want good, instructive bakery instead.

Yesterday did improve, thank goodness. The Wayne decided he wanted to go out to dinner, so we went to a new place near us and split a cacio e pepe pizza, which was wonderful, and I had an aperol spritz and then a glass of red wine. But the day had gotten better even before the drinks :)

The weather is still gorgeous, and I am really looking forward to the 3-day weekend. We don't have any big plans but might go to an arboretum and bird sanctuary (hi Mark!) not too far away and go for a nice long walk on Saturday. I don't care about the birds (sorry Mark!) but I have been enjoying finding new and interesting places to go walking.

We think we are all set to close on the house on Tuesday, though last night we realized there seemed to be a minor error in the closing disclosure. Hopefully it's an easy fix and doesn't delay the closing...

>84 richardderus: - Was it The Final Table? That was pretty terrible.

>85 katiekrug: Crossing the crossables for minorness of the error.

>86 katiekrug: Probably...sounds right, anyway...just NO. I did watch one episode of Chef's Table, profiles of chefs in various parts of the world. The one I watched was about a woman in Savannah. Seemed interesting as a concept but the lady whose profile I watched seemed...modestly chefly? slightly innovative?...anyway, I'd've walked past her menu in Manhattan.

I'm thinking of re-watching early seasons of Top Chef to scratch my cooking show itch.

Wow, closing already! Seems like it went very quickly although I know there were ups an downs. When is moving day?

>89 vivians: - It was a 60-day closing period which is on the longer side for NJ, but it did seem to go by pretty fast! We'll be slowly transitioning over the summer. Probably won't actually move in permanently until sometime in the fall. Our lease isn't up until the end of November, so there's no rush which is nice. If I had to think about getting organized to move in one fell swoop right now, I think I'd lose my mind :)

>90 katiekrug: oh right, I forgot you were moving gradually. I was wondering why you weren't freaking out more, LOL.

Alice Adams by Booth Tarkington

This was a decent, if somewhat dated, story about class in America in the early 20th century. Alice comes from a middle-class family, with a father content with his lot, a mother who desires more, and a resentful brother. She aspires to be accepted by the more well-to-do girls in town, but she's never more than a bit of a hanger-on. Meanwhile, her mother is badgering Mr. Adams to take advantage of a business "opportunity," which he finally does, with bad consequences. It's all kind of sad and predictable, but I liked Alice's complexity - she's a striver, but she's not bitter like her mother who is one of the most awful characters I've encountered in a while. I'm not sure if the author is advocating for people to "know their place" or providing a tragedy and condemnation of the class system. I should probably read up more on Tarkington.

Overall, an okay read (well, a listen) but the experience was marred by the terrible narrator who gave everyone a (bad) Southern accent, so it was like listening to a high school staging of a Tennessee Williams play. Oh, the emoting! It was an odd choice on the narrator's part since the little I have read about Tarkington notes that he placed his stories squarely in the Midwest.

3 stars

>91 lauralkeet: - LOL, Laura. I definitely have enough on my plate through July without having to worry about moving!

>92 katiekrug: Southern accents.

Oh HELL no.

I think your assessment of the story is spot-on and, since my reading of it was in the "see?! See what y'all're blindly causing with your unquestioning stupidity?!" vein, I found it compelling. Also, my grandparents were the generation of the parents, so it had real resonance for my family life.

>94 richardderus: - Yeah, the accents were hard to get past. I think I would have liked the book more with better narration. And the sad thing was, she read the non-dialogue bits in her normal voice, and it was very nice!

>92 katiekrug: I read Alice Adams "with my eyes" and still only gave it a 3 1/2. It was OK but not great IMHO.

>96 RebaRelishesReading: - Reba, I often find it hard to rate older books like that which are very particular to their time. But I agree, it's not a Great Work.

Happy Saturday, friends! Another beautiful day here. We'll be running a few errands but otherwise taking it easy.

Our closing has been confirmed, the cashier's check for a bajillion dollars is in our possession, we'll do a final walk-through of the house Tuesday morning, and the closing is scheduled for 1:30 that day. I might spend a little time packing up some books this weekend - probably ones I've already read and wouldn't need immediate access to...

I'll be glad to have this process over with. And you'll probably be glad to have me stop whining about it :)

I hope you have a wonderful weekend, Katie. Your walking sounds great and it seems that you are finding good places to explore, birds or no. I'm glad the closing has been confirmed! It's a great - and odd - feeling when they hand you those keys. When we closed on this house, we came by when the cleaners were scheduled to be all done and one of the sellers was still here clearing out their snacks cabinet. We told her she could leave them, but....

>98 katiekrug: squeeeeee! How exciting. I will cross everything for you.
Reminds me of the day I closed the account on Mum's estate. I had to split all the funds between myself and my brother, so while in the bank, wrote the largest cheque in my life to my brother for the half the estate. Husband & I then wandered down the highstreet, went into the building society and I wrote the second largest cheque in my life to pay off our mortgage. I did consider asking the bank for the money in £20 notes, just to see how big a suitcase I'd need. Fortunately common sense (aka as the husband) prevailled...

>98 katiekrug: And you'll probably be glad to have me stop whining about it :)

Oh but there's still the actual moving to whine talk about! Anyway, I'm glad everything is set for Tuesday.

Good to hear that the closing is on schedule and that the move will be a slow one, Katie. Have an enjoyable weekend. (Think trip not moving.)

Interested that you're reading John Gardner. I can't think I've ever encountered anyone else on LT reading him. He was sort of a god in our house for a time, as he taught my daughter's undergrad creative writing professor G. W. Hawkes, and was something of a local legend as well, having taught at Binghamton University and died in a motorcycle accident just over the PA border in Susquehanna, PA, a hop skip and jump from where we live. He also taught Raymond Carver. I want to squeeze him into the AAC soonish.

>99 EBT1002: - Hi Ellen! Yes, I remember that feeling from when we bought our house in Dallas and that was a much less involved process, so I can only imagine the relief and joy and excitement will be even more this time!

>100 Helenliz: - Thank goodness for husbands, Helen ;-) But I do like the idea of a giant suitcase...

>101 lauralkeet: - I'm hoping have the long transition period to move will make it a bit less stressful. But yes, I'll probably find something to compalin about. And then just wait for when we do renovations! *grin*

>102 Familyhistorian: - Thanks, Meg! The weekend has been relaxing so far and I anticipate more of the same today. Yay!

>103 laytonwoman3rd: - I'm afraid I've set aside Nickel Mountain, Linda. It wasn't bad but maybe a bit too ponderous for my liking at this particular moment for me... I'd probably try him again if he featured in a future AAC.

>104 katiekrug: I personally appreciate Gardner's non-fiction --lit crit and essays on writing--more than his fiction, but Grendel was darn good.

>98 katiekrug: Great news about the closing, Katie! Just don't take those bajillions of dollars out with you this weekend and buy a vanload of books by "mistake" :-)

>104 katiekrug: John Gardner's work is no way to spend a Memorial Day weekend as sunstruck as this one is. Like taking Dostoyevsky to the beach.

Speaking of which, happy weekend and excellent reading in this gloriously perfect weather.

John Gardner's Grendel is a big favorite of mine. Our book group enjoyed October Light last year.

Could do without The Sunlight Dialogues and some of his later work.

Hi Katie--Just because you close on Tuesday does not mean you have to stop whining. I don't know how you could! There's still all the purging and packing to come. I am happy to listen. : )

Funny about the clutter thing. I, too, have a hubby like that. I let him keep all the stuff on his bureau a mess. And the garage could use some help. At the office it is more of a problem. We are co-workers and I am the only one who has a designated office space. Everyone else just moves around the different rooms as discussion requires. Fortunately (?) we are losing one of our employees (girlfriend got a job in NY and I will miss him), and I hope our next hire is more of a neat nick so I am not longer so outnumbered!! LOL

So glad to hear your closing is almost here (and with check in your hands, I'd say it's now a sure thing). Now I can't wait to hear about all of your refurbishing, planning, packing and settling-in!

>105 laytonwoman3rd: - Grendel seems to be his most popular/best known work, Linda.

>106 susanj67: - Luckily the bajillion dollars is in a cashier's check made out to the title company, Susan :) Otherwise, who knows what mischief I would get into...

>107 richardderus: - Yep, that's pretty much what I decided, Richard. It was a tough call, though, because I didn't hate the book. I just never felt like picking it up...

>108 magicians_nephew: - I am almost completely unversed in his work, Jim. And I guess will continue to be for now...

>109 Berly: - Aw, thanks, Kim! I will try to keep the whining and complaining to a minimum. I hope you get a neat newbie at work!

>110 RebaRelishesReading: - Thanks, Reba! Fingers crossed it all goes smoothly...

Sending happy closing vibes. :)

Good luck with your house close this week!

Hope it all goes well, Katie. Having the cheque must be a big tick on the to do list!

Morning, Katie. I hope you are enjoying the holiday weekend. I have 3 days off, so you know I am. Good luck with the closing. I hope everything goes smoothly. When do you actually move in?

>112 nittnut: - Thank you, Jenn!

>113 ChelleBearss: - Thanks, Chelle!

>114 charl08: - Thanks, Charlotte. Having the check is good - The Wayne wanted to get it tomorrow morning before the closing, and that was cutting it a bit close for me because I'm paranoid :) My bank account is very sad now, though.

>115 msf59: - Hiya, Mark! The weekend has been good, thanks. Our rental lease isn't up until November so we've decided to take our time moving. Eventually, we'll set a date for movers to do the furniture and whatever else we haven't done ourselves, but that lakiley won't be until the fall.

Closing went off without a hitch!

>117 katiekrug: YAY!!!!

It's 5:02 p.m. in New Jersey so I assume you're home owners again :) Congratulations!!

Now i want to get a T-shirt that says "Completed Unversed" on it.

>117 katiekrug: woo hoo! I'm happy for you and TW.

Huzzah for home ownership!

Congratuations to you and The Wayne, Katie, I expect you will enjoy being home owners again. It's nice that you don't have to instantly move but can take your time over it, we did it that way and it was a pretty stress free way to move.

That's great news, Katie. Congratulations!

Yay, Katie and the Wayne!

Hurrah!!

Excellent news, Katie! Did you go right over and sit on the floor and feel happy? :-)

Congrats on the new house!

Congrats!! I love that you can have a slow and easy move, too.

>118 richardderus: - Oooh, pretty!

>119 RebaRelishesReading: - Thanks, Reba!

>120 magicians_nephew: - Oh, dear. I don't get it, Jim...

>121 lauralkeet: - Thanks, Laura!

>122 MickyFine: - Hurrah indeed, Micky :)

>123 DeltaQueen50: - I hope it will be the same for us, Judy.

>124 jnwelch: - Thank you, Joe!

>125 ffortsa: - Thanks, Judy :)

>126 Helenliz: - *grin*

>127 susanj67: - We did go right over, but just so The Wayne could fix something on the garage door that he noticed was amiss during our walk-through :D But there were geese and baby geese in the backyard to welcome us. The property includes a bit of a "river" (more like a stream) and I'm assuming that's where they came from.

>128 ELiz_M: - Thank, Liz!

>129 scaifea: - I hope it works out, Amber. I am now, of course, stressing about it :-P

How cool that there were geese there!! Lovely welcome.

>130 katiekrug: geese and baby geese in the backyard

I know geese are considered a nuisance, but in our previous house I loved seeing them on the pond. Ours followed seasonal cycles: a large number would arrive around Thanksgiving or Christmas. Their numbers would thin out gradually until spring. There were always one or two nesting pairs who stuck around, with goslings appearing late April. Maybe you'll have a similar experience.

>131 RebaRelishesReading: - Reba, when we went to leave, there was a group of adults and babies in the middle of the road. We stopped and a car coming the opposite way stopped and we waited a minute or so but the geese didn't seem to want to move, so both cars reversed and found a different way to be on their way :)

>132 lauralkeet: - I know they tend to poop everywhere, but we'll be putting up a fence anyway (for a dog!), so most of the yard will be unavailable to them eventually.

>133 katiekrug: yeah, we had an invisible fence and they figured out the boundary lines which kept the dogs at bay.

Congrats on the new-to-you house. I don't envy you having to move. Aw, but you two are young. You can do it. (I think there's a book on that.)

Congrats Katie! The geese sound like fun we have them nesting at work and the babies are very popular with the students.

>134 lauralkeet: - I can't way to have a dog around again.

>135 weird_O: - Thanks, Bill! I don't envy me either. Heh.

>136 charl08: - The babies are pretty cute - little fuzzballs...

I finished my 50th book of the year last night! It was a pretty forgettable romance so not worth a review or further comments really. But yay for 50!

Yay for 50 indeed!

Yay!!

Congrats on being homeowners again, Katie!

And congrats on reading 50 books!

Congratulations! New house....baby geese....a dog again in your future...50 books!!!

Congrats on hitting 50, Katie. I have no problem with the Canada Geese and especially like the little ones.

Oh yeah- I finally requested West. I think you were the one that first sparked my interest in that one.

This is just a placeholder while I get caught up on your thread!

>139 richardderus: - Thanks, Richard :)

>140 Copperskye: - Thank you, Joanne. Lots to keep us busy now...

>141 laytonwoman3rd: - Quite a week, Linda *grin*

>142 msf59: - I think you'll really like West, Mark.

>143 Morphidae: - Hi Morphy!

YES!

>145 katiekrug: Heh. Too, too true.

>145 katiekrug:

>146 richardderus: - Right?

>147 laytonwoman3rd: - That's a blast from the past!

>145 katiekrug: I hear ya!
Well done on 50 books. You manage more reading than me, as well as more posting. Don't know how you do it...

Hello, Katie! I'm a newcomer so it's been pleasant to meet people on here. Life is indeed a nuisance to get in the way of reading, isn't it? I have unwanted short-notice visitors tomorrow and it'll be difficult to find any time for peace. I'd far rather be left alone with a book than be subject to this. All day has been spent clattering around tidying everything before said visitors complain of a messy flat.

Congratulations on 50!!

Are y'all having this sparkling sunstruck day over there? I'm not quite up to cavorting about in it (headache) but MAN is it lovely.

>149 Helenliz: - Probably because I have no life :)

>150 RoseM.: - Hi Rose - welcome! Short-notice guests are The Worst. I hate having overnight guests, short-notice or otherwise...

>151 RebaRelishesReading: - Thanks, Reba!

>152 richardderus: - It's gorgeous (said in my New Jerseyist of accents...)!

Amazon is featuring history/historical fiction reads for the Daily Deal today.

https://smile.amazon.com/b?node=7533915011&ref_=pe_170810_407398620

I HIGHLY recommend News of the World!

>154 katiekrug: Satanne.

Ditto re News of the World, Katie. Debbi and I loved it.

Happy Friday!

>155 richardderus: - Is that a feminized Satan? Satan was my nickname in college, so I embrace it :)

>156 jnwelch: - Did you hear they are making a film of it with Tom Hanks in the lead? Happy Friday, Joe!

Above the Waterfall by Ron Rash

What an odd book full of odd characters and disjointed themes. We have a sheriff who once told his depressive wife to "go ahead and do it" when she threatened suicide, who takes bribes from pot dealers, who paints watercolors, and who cares deeply for his community in the mountains of western North Carolina and tries to do his part to ameliorate the effects of the crystal meth scourge on his small town. His love interest witnessed a school shooting as a child, took up with an eco-terrorist as a young woman, and is now a poetry-writing park ranger. And there's a luxury resort, a deliberate river poisoning, and a baby in a microwave. So yeah.

There is some beautiful writing, and the setting is perfectly evoked, hence the 3-star rating. But if this intrigues you at all, do not, under any circumstances, listen to it. The narration was one of the worst I have ever encountered.

3 stars

>158 katiekrug: On balance, I think I'll not bother looking that one up.

>157 katiekrug: Now that has the potential for a great film. Happy weekend, homeowner!

>159 Helenliz: - Smart move, Helen!

>160 vivians: - Happy weekend back at ya, Vivian!

>157 katiekrug: I also loved News of the World, and we will be reading it in our downtown book group. But Hanks? I can't say I like that idea. He's a good actor, of course, but I don't picture the character like him. We'll have to see.

Oh thanks for reminding me of News of the World. What a lovely book.

Satan as a nickname? Is there a story to go with that?!

>162 ffortsa: - I hope your book group likes it as much as people here on LT seem to! I actually can see Hanks in the role - he can play gruff, and I've seen photos of him recently with a big bushy white beard which seems right...

>163 charl08: - The short version, Charlotte, is that I was considered a bad influence on my friends at the Catholic college (uni) we attended :) I am not, and was not, Catholic so that was also part of the joke - me as a devilish operator sent to corrupt good Catholic boys and girls...

>145 katiekrug: LIKE

Congrats on a successful closing and new house. Hope your next book is a little more pleasant than that last! I don't think I'll be looking for that one anytime soon. Happy weekend!

>165 bell7: - Thanks, Mary! Hope you have a great weekend!

>158 katiekrug: I'm a Rashite, so I'll be eyereading it on a treebook. Extraneous factors like bad narrators do serious dirt to good stories.

>167 richardderus: - I want to read something else by him - this was my first. And you are so right about the narrator's influence.

>168 katiekrug: Pleasepleasepleaseplease read Serena. Please. It is. Mar.Vel.Ous. squared. George Pemberton made Serena into what every man fears his wife secretly is.

Oh prettiest of pleases, read Serena?

>169 richardderus: - I happen to have it on my Kindle. Just need to slot it in somewhere!

>170 katiekrug:
(Wish I'd never learned Chris Pratt was such a religious prat)

I'll join RD in urging you to give Ron Rash another go. I couldn't get into Serena, myself (hated her character so much I Pearl-ruled the book), and I had some quibbles with Above the Waterfall as well. But I enjoy his short fiction.

>139 richardderus: It's an awkward reading time, that's for certain. I'm stuck with short-notice unwanted visitors and dropped my current book in bed last night. Now I can't find it. What good luck I have.

Congrats, Katie and The Wayne, on being home owners again! Geese! A dog! 50 books read! Only wine and food could make it better...

Congrats on the house, Katie!

>158 katiekrug: I liked Above the Waterfall a little better (half a star) than you did. But I read a paper copy.

>169 richardderus: How did you like his other book The Cove, Richard? That one is available at the e-library...

Congrats on the closing! Hope the moving goes smoothly. Doing it slowly over time sounds nice.

>175 FAMeulstee: Good Saturday, Milady of the Krugs. I trust I find you in health and vigor.

Anita...I love the Appalachian legend of Silver John, the Balladeer tale that this book bears a striking resemblance to. I once had plans to retire to that part of North Carolina described in The Cove because it's so beautiful. Rash evokes the sense of place perfectly, he riffs on the legend of the mysterious and musically gifted stranger with skill, and the gestalt is a complete experience with no other parts needed for reading pleasure.

>171 richardderus: - Agreed, but confetti is always welcome :)

>172 laytonwoman3rd: - Good to know, Linda. I will give him another try at some point.

>173 RoseM.: - Hope you've found your book by now, Rose.

>174 karenmarie: - Thanks, Karen! We plan on pizza and wine out on our new deck tonight :)

>175 FAMeulstee: - I think I have The Cove on my Kindle, Anita, so I'll be interested in what Richard has to say about it.

>176 lycomayflower: - Thanks, Laura! So far the only problem with the long transition time is knowing where to start... :)

>177 richardderus: - I just missed the morning but will wish you a Good Afternoon, kind sir.

Thanks for those thoughts on The Cove. As I mentioned to Anita, I think I have an e-copy...

We are getting a late start today because everything takes The Wayne longer than he think it will. Sigh. But he's rented a trailer to move some stuff to the new house. Mostly he'll be moving stuff out of our garage so he has room to better organize and pack up the other stuff in it... I'll be going along to help a bit and wash shelves in cabinets and closets. I have a phobia about dirty, high-up shelves...

There is also a little shop I can walk to from the new house that's only open on the weekends and handles estate sales and funky furniture items, so I thought I might take a little stroll down there at some point for a look-see. I think I've decided to get a purple couch for the living room and just have fun with it, so I'd like to find some similarly interesting pieces to go with.

Tonight, we plan on hanging out on the new deck and playing cards with a bottle of wine and a pizza.

Good on reading 50 books so far, Katie. I fudged a bit to get to 48 before May expired. Read Ann Patchett's graduation talk given at her alma mater, Sarah Lawrence, which was published as a little book, What Now?. Seemed relevant since my twin granddaughter are graduating from high school tonight. Graduation pool party at their other grandparents Sunday, birthday do for them Monday (it really is their 18th birthdays Monday).

My son was funning that they wanted to go to a drive-in movie to close the pool party, but since they have junior licenses they wouldn't be legal to drive home. Except. At midnight, they turn 18 and their licenses automatically transform into regulars and their good to drive home.

I hit 50 books at this point only once since I started logging books-read in 2010 (yeah, and now I can't remember what year that was).

Have a swell weekend.

>178 katiekrug: You won't regret reading The Cove or Serena, Katie, in any order you decide to read them. Even if they aren't your dreamy-dream of delight, you'll know all you need to about Rash from adding either to your experience and can proceed accordingly.

>179 katiekrug: Perfect way to break in the new deck!

I love the idea of having pizza and wine on your new deck. I'm sure you'll have a great time.

Hi Katie - I hope you're having a wonderful weekend.

>41 katiekrug: I've enjoyed Lippman's fiction, and this collection of essays sounds great, too. I'll add it to my summer reading list.

>180 weird_O: - Hi Bill! Hope you are having a great weekend full of celebrations. Congrats to your granddaughters! Where are they off to next year?

>181 richardderus: - Duly noted, thanks!

>182 RebaRelishesReading: - Hi Beth! I need to toddle over to your thread to hear about your trip!

I think you'd like the Lipman essays and they are good, easy summer reading.

Happy Sunday! We had a fairly productive day yesterday, at least for us :P We ended up being too tired for pizza and wine on the deck, so we'll try for it tonight.

I haven't gotten much reading done. I like The Good Earth but it isn't really fast-moving....

Hope that home enjoyng is still enjoyable as it approaches the end of its first week. >:-)
We've recently had new neighbours, like you they were in rented, so have been taking their time moving in. I put a welcome card through the door a month ago and they've still not been round to introduce themselves. (strike 1) They are also creating waves with parking - aggressive notes on windscreens and the like (strike 2). I'm sure you'll be much nicer new neighbours.

>186 Helenliz: - I met one neighbor yesterday who was very friendly. Our immediate neighbor (we only have a house on one side) was out and about yesterday while we were moving stuff into the garage, but she ignored us which I thought was somewhat rude. I am trying to reserve judgment... Parking is not an issue, as all the houses have driveways and there is street parking but there's plenty of space.

I do not know if you were previously aware of the existence of Snagglepuss's reboot, so I venture to offer a quote therefrom: "The truth is a free country needs show business. People are obsessive by nature. Fanatical, even. Popular culture gives our fanaticism somewhere to go. Without show business, politics steps in to fill the void. And that's when the world goes to hell."

Nominated for a Lambda Literary Award, 2019. $5.99 on Kindle, though how that could ever be a good way to see comics...I'm sure you have a tablet, though.

Ooh, I will check it out!

Excellent, said LT's own Mr. Burns. Also...have you piped the Latin inscriptions on the plinth?

>188 richardderus: Love that quote! Maybe Hollywood will save us all.

>190 richardderus: - Latin's not my strong suit.

>191 laytonwoman3rd: - That would blow some minds for sure :)

Public Service Announcement

The Audible Daily Deal today is Milkman by Anna Burns for $4.99. Several people here have said it worked well on audio.

Back to work Mondays are the worst Mondays...

We did finally get to enjoy the new deck late yesterday afternoon, which was lovely. I had cleaned up the furniture (the seller was willing to leave it which was nice so we don't immediately need to get anything...) while The Wayne put in new locks on the front and back doors. Except he didn't because the stuff he bought didn't fit. *headdesk* See my previous note about everything taking twice as long as it should when he does stuff... Sigh. The good news is that it has convinced him to move ahead with getting a new front door sooner rather than later. I have a thing for front doors, and the one currently on the house is not up to snuff :)

Work will really start gearing up this week in anticipation of the Board meetings in Paris later this month. My niece-let is coming to visit from Texas on Friday, so we'll have a busy weekend, and then I only have one more weekend before I leave. Time flies when you're stressed out, I guess.

I am reading The Good Earth, which has picked up a bit, and this morning I started the audio of The Boston Girl by Anita Diamant. I also need to start In the Language of Miracles by Rajia Hassib sometime soon, as it's this month's book group pick, and we meet next week.

In happier news, I just bought our tickets to the US Open - The Wayne and I and my best friend have gone the past couple of years - usually for a day of the 2nd round - and it's always a great time. So I have that to look forward to :)

Yay for and totally jealous of tickets for the US open.

I'm having fun watching the French Open. Have you been able to watch any of it?

>196 karenmarie: - Hi Karen! I try to watch a bit when it's on NBC but since that's mostly the weekends, and those have been busy, I haven't seen as much as I would like. We did watch a couple of hours yesterday. I felt so bad for Tsitsipas after his loss to Wawrinka...

I felt bad for Tsitsipas, too, especially after he got his anger under control and was playing so well. Either way worked as far as who would play Roger, and it was a great match.

They were fighting so hard to play sacrificial lamb to Roger... ;-)

I save my affection for Wimbers. Been a few times; evening ground pass tickets are great value. Also had tickets for centre court on second Monday one year. Almost didn't make it home due to the time play finished...

>200 Helenliz: - Attending Wimbledon is on my bucket list. *Just* missing it this year, as we leave July 1. We do the grounds pass for the US Open now and love it. The first year we got tickets for Arthur Ashe, the main stadium, but didn't feel like it was worth the cost, so last year we got the grounds passes. The atmosphere is way better and you can see a lot more tennis that way.

Here's another one jealous of your US Open visits. I've never been to any major tournament but it sounds like a lot of fun.

Reba, how long at you in Chataqua for? You could make a little jaunt for a couple of days to the city and go to the Open :D

>203 katiekrug: uh I don't think you realize how far Chautauqua is from the US Open Katie. That's probably an eight hour drive but for Reba, granted, that's a drop in the bucket lol.

Glad to see your closing went well and you're on the way to making your house your home.

Oh yay for tickets to the US Open! I usually do get Ashe tickets now that it's a closed roof, because I can still go to the other stadiums (where I spend most of the time anyway if it's sunny) and am still guaranteed tennis if it rains. Though I guess the new Armstrong has a roof now too - I haven't seen the stadium yet. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to try to go this year, I'm going to touch base with some friends who might make the trip with me and see if we can coordinate schedules.

>192 katiekrug: Heh..."Heavens to Murgatroyd" and "Exit Stage Left" rendered into plinth-sppropriate Latin. These folks thought of everything.

>204 brenzi: - I met Reba in NYC a couple of years ago, Bonnie, though I don't recall if she came down from WNY or was on her way or what. 8 hours is nothing for a long weekend (or longer) :)

>205 bell7: - Hi Mary!The matches in Ashe in the early rounds rarely seem interesting. We saw Venus play the first year and that was cool, but honestly it still wasn't worth the price to me. Good point about the rain, though, but I'll take my chances :)

>206 richardderus: - Ah!

>193 katiekrug: I grabbed Milkman, Katie and I requested the print book too, in case I need to follow along, while listening to the audio.

I am truly loving Furious Hours. NF continues to kick butt, in my humble book.

>207 katiekrug: you're right, the early rounds in Ashe are rarely interesting. I loved the old grandstand court, honestly, and I'm sorry it's gone. The outer courts are a lot of fun, and I hope you get great weather for the day you go!

Congrats on the house:)
Glad you are enjoying your new deck!

>206 richardderus: Everything except Latin grammar...

Morning, Katie!

>208 msf59: - Glad you got Milkman, Mark. It doesn't really interest me, but I knew others would want to grab it. Glad your current read is a good one!

>209 bell7: - I like Court 16. I think it's Court 16. Maybe 17. I saw Osaka there last year in the 2nd round. And I like the little ones where the seating is super close.

>210 figsfromthistle: - Thanks, Anita!

>211 scaifea: - Morning, Amber!

Sunstruck Tuesday greetings! I love this bit of summer, the one where it's not oppressive just yet. We had out foretaste of that a few days ago, and since it's gorgeous today, I'm glad I resisted setting the a/c up.

>211 scaifea: Google Translate. One appreciates the effort, nonetheless, as access to a classicist isn't the easiest thing for most Americans to arrange.

Always assuming they know what one is.

>213 richardderus: - It's an absolutely perfect day! Makes working in my basement bunker a bit of a bummer (ooh, alliteration...)!

One of these years I will also get to the US Open. I did get to watch some French Open when we were in Prague -- in German! It was nice being in the same time zone, though.

>214 katiekrug: Y'know, Your Kickassness, now that you're moving into Your Home, you can prevent the bunkerhood issue forevermore. Setting up your office merely needs to be multiple cable outlets around the house, each with a modestly powerful router attached. Making sure, naturally, to position one close to the outdoor deck...and then make your password fiendishly difficult to remember. And you're not moving in all at once, so it matters not if the cable company can't come soon, or even if they have to make multiple trips. Eh what?

>214 katiekrug: my office has a bandstand window and it's great being able to work with a view of the garden. Even when it's dreary it's better than no windows.

>215 BLBera: - I will await that day eagerly, Beth!

>216 richardderus: - I'd actually thought of moving my office to the new house (where my office space has windows! On two sides!) but The Wayne really doesn't want to pay multiple Fios bills, especially since we get the business-grade so it's rather spendy...

>217 Helenliz: - Helen, what is a "bandstand" window? And yes, any window in any weather is better than no window ever.

>218 katiekrug: I can well understand his reluctance! That's a big bolus of bill.

(I can alliterate too!)

>203 katiekrug: We'll be there all summer but it's about 500 miles to the city so more than a little jaunt (as we discovered two years ago when we came in for the Chihuly exhibit and the meet-up). It's a lovely thought though :)

>219 richardderus: - Heh. You said bolus. That word always makes me giggle.

>220 RebaRelishesReading: - So you come see some tennis, visit some museums, eat some good food, and stay for several days. Then it's nothing. You and Bonnie seem to think I meant a day trip or a mere overnight!

Ooh an office with a view. Even my basement bunker has a view, not that I am down there much since the computer there died just before I left on my trip. Nothing like great timing. Good luck getting prepped for your upcoming travel. Just think of the bonus at the end.

>221 katiekrug: Problem is that during "season" I really don't want to be away during the week which leaves a day to drive and a day to drive back with nothing in between. But I do understand and perhaps some day we'll skip a week of "season" and spend it in NY but more likely we'll come in spring or fall which, of course, eliminates the Open.

>222 Familyhistorian: - It's not much of a view that I'll have, Meg, but at least there will be some natural light!

>223 RebaRelishesReading: - Ah, ok, that makes sense, Reba! I forgot how it's chock-a-block full for you when you're up there.

>217 Helenliz: It's probably best described as a semi circular bay window, with a number (I have 7) windows making up the semi circle. which means it looks a bit like half a bandstand stuck on the back of the house. It probably has an architectural name, but bandstand window seem sto do the job to me!

A bit like this one - not the conservatory, the other one.
And from the inside:

>225 Helenliz: - Ah, ok! I would just call that a bay window, but maybe it's technically called something else here, too... I love learning stuff like this :)

>207 katiekrug: >221 katiekrug: Oops! Pay no attention to me or my comments Katie. 🙄

>227 brenzi: - I will always pay attention to your comments, Bonnie, beacuse you are one of my favorite LT peeps!

🤗🤗🤗

>229 brenzi: - *grin*

Cloudy & sticky...summer's on its way, dammit to hades.

How funny is Good Omens? Heh. I'm rationing myself to one episode a day...today's is #5, "The Doomsday Option" and it's just about killin' me to wait until after dinner to watch it! (That's my rule, it forces me to do productive stuff when it's possible to do so instead of schlubbing around on Netflix.)

>231 richardderus: - Not too sticky here... yet. But the cloud cover is kind of a bummer.

I haven't watched (or read) Good Omens, but I know the Wayne wants to see it, so I might have eyeballs on it eventually. Though given the snail's pace at which we get around to watching things......